The Quintessential Billie Holiday, Vol. 2 (1936)

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com essential recording
Few singers in jazz history have had the ability that Billie Holiday possessed to inspire the musicians she worked with, meeting the best instrumentalists on terms of musical equality and creating a spirit of camaraderie. The joy is palpable in these recordings from January to October 1936, with the 20-year-old Holiday blithely attacking great songs and period ephemera, with wonderful settings crafted by pianist Teddy Wilson and superb solo contributions by altoist Johnny Hodges and trumpeter Bunny Berigan. While the later recordings of Holiday brim with the depth of her experience, what one hears on these early sessions is something different and perhaps even more poignant, a new talent that seems to convey a unique capacity for life, an openness to all it might offer. --Stuart Broomer --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

Tracks:

Life Begins When You're In Love - Billie Holiday
It's Like Reaching For The Moon - Billie Holiday
These Foolish Things - Billie Holiday
I Cried For You - Billie Holiday
Guess Who - Billie Holiday
Did I Remember? - Billie Holiday And Her Orchestra
No Regrets - Billie Holiday And Her Orchestra
Summertime - Billie Holiday And Her Orchestra
Billie's Blues - Billie Holiday And Her Orchestra
A Fine Romance - Billie Holiday And Her Orchestra
I Can't Pretend - Billie Holiday And Her Orchestra
One, Two, Button Your Shoe - Billie Holiday And Her Orchestra
Let's Call A Heart A Heart - Billie Holiday And Her Orchestra
Easy To Love - Billie Holiday And Her Orchestra
With Thee I Swing - Billie Holiday And Her Orchestra
The Way You Look Tonight - Billie Holiday And Her Orchestra

Amazon.com essential recording

Few singers in jazz history have had the ability that Billie Holiday possessed to inspire the musicians she worked with, meeting the best instrumentalists on terms of musical equality and creating a spirit of camaraderie. The joy is palpable in these recordings from January to October 1936, with the 20-year-old Holiday blithely attacking great songs and period ephemera, with wonderful settings crafted by pianist Teddy Wilson and superb solo contributions by altoist Johnny Hodges and trumpeter Bunny Berigan. While the later recordings of Holiday brim with the depth of her experience, what one hears on these early sessions is something different and perhaps even more poignant, a new talent that seems to convey a unique capacity for life, an openness to all it might offer. --Stuart Broomer

Customer Reviews:

Beginnings of a Legacy.......2001-02-06

Hard to believe Billie was only 21 when she recorded these sides, some of them becoming definitive versions of American standards. This set was the beginning of Billie Holiday's legacy--her greatness at capturing a song's spirit. Her mastery of time and swing is so confident that it's hard to believe she was that young. To those accustomed to hearing Billie's '50s Verve output of slow, melancholic recordings, this volume comes as a surprise and relief. A fresh, vibrant Holiday performs with all the spirit and energy of a 21-year old. She swings either gently or pulsatingly on most of the 16 tracks. Definiitve swinging versions pop up here like "I Cried For You" "Fine Romance" "Way You Look Tonight" and "These Foolish Things". Billie takes even dreck such as "One Two Button Your Shoe" and "Guess Who" and makes them not only listenable but downright enjoyable. Sound is pretty decent considering this was 1936. CD has good bass sound.

Always On top Of The Game.......2000-05-26

Billie Holiday is One OF the Few Artists Ever in The History of Music who Just Got Better with Time.You Feel The Emotion&Heart.this Set Captures A Younger Holiday Sounding Wonderful.How Many Of TODAY'S Younger Vocalists can You say that About?Very Essential Collection.A Great Innovator.

Always On top Of The Game.......2000-05-26

On her way to legend!.......2000-01-21

I think that its just amazing that this woman has achieved such a masterpieces at the time when she was 21 years old!To collect all of 9 volumes of this great, incredible "Columbia" colections would take some time but I am sure I would listen and love all of them.Even on the previous volume 1 I noticed that being young and black, Billie didnt always have great songs and sometimes at the beggining of her career she had to take whatever was offered to her, even some silly songs of the day.Some readers didnt like my opinion, but that is the fact - even here on volume 2, there are 8 brilliant and great songs mixed together with 8 forgettable songs that no one remebers anymore.As this was beggining of her career, it would take some time before she would finally achieve status of big star so her repertoar would be different.Personaly, I LOVE "Billie's blues" and I think she was simply great singing that sort of songs (maybe much better than love songs of the time) that folowed way of her idols Louis Armstrong and Bessie Smith.Listening to them, Billie somehow managed to built her own style which was combination of Louis and Bessie but from inside, not vocally.I love writtings of William Brooks on these volumes, but I dont share his opinion always - he said that her version of "Summertime" is best ever and her "The way you look tonight" its dissapointment.Well, for me this 1936. "Summertime" is not excatly what Gershwins had in mind as a gently lullaby but I really like her playful "The way you look tonight" which swing gently.It's OK, it just showes that we love different things, why not?I love Billie dearly and I am planning to collect all of "Columbia's "9 volumes eventually.

Some of Billie's Best.......1999-12-15

Although this isn't my favorite of Billie's recordings, it is an excellent compilation of her songs and stylistic devices. Also listen to the double cd set "Billie Holiday, Best of the Verve Years"

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